1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a detergent composition, and more particularly to a detergent composition that is for removing contaminants, such as sludge oil or greasy dirt, and that includes mirabilite.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional synthetic detergent is prepared by incorporating a cationic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant with a compound component such as formaldehyde, a fluorescent agent, benzene, a salt of ethylenediaminetetra acetic acid (EDTA), a phosphate, etc., so as to achieve the intended object of removing sludge oil or greasy dirt. Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 338773 discloses a nonionic surfactant that may be used in the conventional synthetic detergent contains alkyl phenol such as nonyl phenol. However, the nonionic surfactant containing nonyl phenol has a chemical structure similar to that of animal estrogen, and is also called an environmental hormone. Such environmental hormone tends to interfere with the regulatory mechanism of in vivo hormone incretion and is capable of stimulating action of the natural hormone at a relatively low concentration to directly stimulate or inhibit the incretion system of an organism so as to influence reproduction and development functions of the organism. Hence, health and propagation of the organism will be significantly and adversely affected.
Additionally, the cationic and nonionic surfactants do not satisfy international environmental protection requirements for biodegradability. These surfactants used in the synthetic detergent cannot sufficiently decompose or destroy structures of the contaminants such as sludge oil or greasy dirt intended to be removed. These surfactants generally act on transfer of the contaminants including sludge oil and greasy dirt from the object intended to be cleaned to water. When the waste water thus formed is discharged to the environment, the contaminants are still present in the waste water and result in secondary pollution of the environment and pollution of water source. Apparently, the conventional synthetic detergent having cationic and nonionic surfactants may contribute to severe pollution and destruction of the ecological environment.